A hospital with a heritage

Every time you travel on Shamnath Marg, or for that matter come out of the Civil Lines Metro station, you can hardly miss the white Sant Parmanand Hospital, a major landmark.

The relatively small plot is packed with history. The modern façade of the building belies the history it holds — the plot housed the All India Radio, Income Tax department, eye hospital and is now a multi-specialty hospital.

Civil Lines was a British hub before New Delhi was built and government departments had their offices in the area. That possibly explains how the building went on from one department to another before turning into a hospital.

“All India Radio was run from this building in 1948-49 before shifting to Parliament Street. Then, till 1955, it was the office of revenue department’s income tax office,” said Dr Shekhar Agarwal, hospital’s vice-president and executive director.

But then, it was not always Sant Parmanand Hospital as we know of today. “It used to be called Chakshu Hospital. The building was a British-era bungalow. Even the road in front of it was a single carriageway and was then called Alipur Road,” said HK Ahuja, 75, who stays nearby.

The old building was pulled down part by part since 1993 and completed in 2001. “It was ‘Bhangar Chakshu Chikitsalay’ under the aegis of Sant Parmanand Blind Relief Mission from 1955.